Mathieu Warnier, Media365: published on Wednesday October 23, 2024 at 4:40 p.m.
While UEFA must re-award the organization of the Champions League final in 2027, the Orange Vélodrome is not one of the stadiums having submitted their application to the European body before the first deadline.
It's an ambition that's taking a turn for the worse. Last September, UEFA announced that it would be forced to change its plans for the organization of the Champions League final in 2027. Faced with uncertainties surrounding the conclusion of renovation work on the Giuseppe-Meazza Stadium in Milan in time for This final, the European body preferred to relaunch the application procedure, with a first deadline for submitting applications set for Monday, October 21. Very quickly, the Marseille town hall revealed its ambitions through its sports deputy Sébastien Jibrayel. “And why not Marseille, in the most beautiful stadium in France: the Orange Vélodrome,” he told the press. With Mayor Benoit Payan, we will support Marseille's candidacy to host the Champions League final in 2027.” Except that the communication made this Wednesday by UEFA does not go in the direction of welcoming the event in the Phocaean city.
It's not all over for Marseille
In fact, the latter announced that two expressions of interest had been sent to it on time. The first concerns the Olympic Stadium in Baku, which hosted the Europa League final in 2019 and then Euro matches in 2021. The second is that of the Estadio Metropolitano in Madrid, which has already been the scene of the Champions League final in 2019. While a final decision will not be made before a meeting of the UEFA Executive Committee scheduled for May 2025, the door remains open to other applications, including that of Marseille, since the final application files must be submitted by March 19. The continental body also announced that four stadiums have applied to host the final of the Women's Champions League in 2027. These are the National Stadium in Warsaw, the Camp Nou in Barcelona, the Parc Saint- Jacques de Basel and the Principality Stadium in Cardiff.
